Garden weed barrier and watering system

ABSTRACT

A garden weed barrier and watering apparatus including a flexible sheet of vapor-permeable material having reinforced, weighted edges to secure the sheet to the ground, openings in the sheet to receive garden plants, and a tube secured to the bottom of the sheet for delivering fluid to the plants.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the prior filed, co-pendingprovisional application, Ser. No. 60/437,486, filed Dec. 31, 2002 withthe United States Patent and Trademark Office.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of devices for gardening, and moreparticularly in the field of systems for suppressing weeds anddelivering water to plants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ground or landscape cloths have been used for many years to controlweeds and stabilize tilled soil. When used in gardens these devicesgreatly reduce maintenance otherwise required to prevent overgrowth ofweeds and soil erosion. It is known to lay soaker-hoses on top oflandscape cloths as a way of watering large gardens by simply turning onthe water supply. Since landscape cloths are typically porous, waterapplied to the top surface seeps through and wets the soil below.Depending on the porosity of the cloth, however, water can pool duringwatering leading to uneven distribution. In addition, since the hose issimply laid on top of the fabric, it is subject to dislocation by wind,heavy rain or animals such as dogs. It may also move by expansion andcontraction due to temperature changes.

The cloth itself is also subject to dislocation, particularly by wind,and often large sections of cloth are folded over exposing the groundbeneath, permitting weeds to germinate and grow. Sometimes gardenersattempt to hold the cloth in place by covering the outer edges withsoil. Rain often washes this soil away, however, and the fabric may thenbe dislocated. To solve this problem, gardeners often will use stakes ortwo-pronged staples to secure the cloth to the ground.

These methods are quite labor intensive, particularly with largegardens, since it requires placement of a staple every few inches alongall sides of each cloth or covering all sides of the cloth with soil.Typically, if staples are used they are simply forced through the fabricof the cloth, making tears and holes. Over time these holes can enlargecausing gaps between the cloth and ground allowing sunlight to penetrateunderneath the edges of the cloth and causing the cloth to flap in thewind leading to further tearing. These prior art devices are not onlytime consuming to deploy but are difficult to remove and reposition.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a flexible sheet of vapor-permeableground-cloth or landscaping film or fabric is provided having reinforcededges and openings for garden plants. The edges of the sheet includeweighted portions that hold the sheet in place to prevent movement bywind and to minimize sunlight intrusion under the edges of the sheet. Aflexible, porous watering tube is attached to the bottom of the sheet inproximity to the openings, preferably by utilizing flaps created byformation of the openings. When supplied with water via a garden hose orother source, the tube allows a controlled amount of water to dripthrough the wall of the tube onto the ground. Through gravity andcapillary action, water enters surrounding soil and provides moisture tothe garden plants. Weed growth is greatly restrained by blocking thecovered ground from sunlight and providing a physical barrier to upwardgrowth. Because the watering tube is positioned underneath the sheet,moisture is prevented from readily evaporating and is maintained atstable levels for improved plant growth.

Since the device inhibits evaporation, it greatly reduces the volume ofwater required to maintain a garden and is particularly beneficial inareas of drought or in other regions where water usage is controlled orotherwise restricted. Because the device restricts weed growth, its useis also particularly advantageous for organic gardening or farming sinceuse of herbicides is not required. Plant disease and crop spoilage isgreatly reduced without the use of antimicrobial applications orinsecticides since the device blocks soil from splashing upward and ontoleaves or fruit during rain or watering, a common source of diseaseorganisms and promoter of insect infestation. Since use of the apparatusand system of the present invention minimizes crop contact with soil,whether through splashing or resting on the ground, fruits andvegetables tend to remain relatively clean and may be harvested andstored without cleaning.

Movement or dislocation of prior art devices is typically restrictedthrough use of staples or stakes pushed through the fabric or sheetmaterial of the prior art device itself. Although laborious to installand remove, without such elements the prior art devices are subject todislocation, primarily through action of wind on the underside of thedevice. Dislocation occurs through action by wind on two portions of aprior art device not secured by staples or stakes or having theadvantages of the present invention. First, wind may lift the outeredges of the cloth or fabric causing the edges to fold back or bunch, orlifting the entire device. Second, wind may enter planting spaces andcause the device to shift position. An unexpected advantage of thepresent invention is that retention of the device in the desiredlocation is greatly enhanced by not only providing weighted edges at theperiphery of the device but by the additional weight provided by thehose at the edge of each planting space. By providing additional weightat both locations, wind is inhibited from intruding beneath the outeredges of the device or becoming trapped by entering through the plantingspaces. This system is particularly effective if the planting slots orholes are located inward of the hose. Since wind is directional, anywind that does enter a planting space may be immediately evacuatedthrough spaces in the adjoining row.

Because the preferred sheet material is UV-resistant, the device may beleft in place year-round. After crops have been harvested or flowershave ceased blooming, the plant growth within the provided plantingspaces may be pulled or cut and the soil within the spaces turned byhand prior to replanting. If plants are cut at the root level, the rootswill tend to decompose during the non-growing season, providing compostand nutrients to the soil within the planting spaces.

Alternatively, the device may be simply rolled or folded into a sizeconvenient for carrying and storage at the end of the growing season.Soil amendments such as compost may then be tilled in as desired priorto re-use of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of three weed barriers inaccordance with the present invention situated in a garden with gardenplants located within planting spaces and weeds occupying open adjacentground;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a weed barrier in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of a section of a weed barrier showinga planting slot and a section of porous hose held in place by a flap;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of a weed barrier showinga planting hole and a section of porous hose held in place by a flap;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged bottom view of a planting hole of FIG. 3 detailingconstruction of flaps for retaining a T fitting;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the planting hole of FIG. 8 showing the flapsin place after attaching to the underside of the sheet;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating initial steps in the formation of edgeflaps;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a notched weight;

FIG. 12 a is a diagram further illustrating the formation of edge flapsand edge pockets for retaining the weight of FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 b is a partial bottom view showing edge flaps folded over andstitched in place to form edge pockets;

FIG. 13 is a partial bottom view of two alternative embodiments of thepresent invention illustrating methods for connecting the sheet materialand hose fittings:

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a female hose fitting projectingthrough an aperture in the edge of a weed barrier;

FIG. 15 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention havingtwo rows of planting holes;

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of another embodiment of the present inventionhaving two rows of planting slots;

FIG. 17 a is a partial cross-sectional view of an edge pocket andweight;

FIG. 17 b is a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative edgepocket and weight;

FIG. 18 a is a partial cross-sectional view of an edge pocket andweight;

FIG. 18 b is a partial cross-sectional view of an edge pocket and weightwith stitching passing through the weight material;

FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional view of another form of edge pocketand weight;

FIG. 20 a is an enlarged view of the bottom surface of a corner portionof a weed barrier;

FIG. 20 b is a plan view illustrating adjacent, perpendicular weightsjoined by an interconnecting notch and tab;

FIG. 20 c is a view of the bottom surface of a corner portion of a weedbarrier illustrating the position of interconnecting weights;

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing three weed barriers attached by overlappingweighted edges and connecting porous hoses;

FIG. 22 is a front elevation of a flow restrictor disk;

FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective of a gasket and flow restrictoraligned for insertion in a female hose fitting;

FIG. 24 is a side elevation of a conical flow restrictor;

FIG. 25 is a top view of the conical flow restrictor of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the conical flow restrictor alongline 26-26 of FIG. 25, including environmental elements in cross-sectionwith cross hatching omitted for clarity;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the conical flow restrictor of FIGS. 24to 26;

FIG. 28 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of a conicalflow restrictor;

FIG. 29 is a longitudinal cross-section of the conical flow restrictorof FIG. 28 oriented ninety degrees to the right and includingenvironmental elements in cross-section with cross hatching omitted forclarity,

FIG. 30 is a top view of a circular weed barrier in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 31 is a top view of another embodiment of a circular weed barrierin accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates threeidentical weed barrier and garden watering systems 100 (hereinafterreferred to as “weed barrier”), each in accordance with the presentinvention. The weed barriers 100 illustrated are of the type used withrow crops and are shown positioned side-by-side in a typical gardensetting. The weed barrier includes a sheet of vapor-permeable material101 such as ground cloth or landscape fabric used in the horticultureindustry. Openings, or planting spaces 130, are provided along thelength of the sheet 101 to provide space for plants 10 to grow. As willbe shown in detail in subsequent figures, water is supplied to theplants via one or more water-permeable tubes or hoses 150 attached tothe underside of each weed barrier 100 to deliver water to garden plants10 contained within the planting spaces 130. In the case of multipleweed barriers 100 as shown in FIG. 1, the permeable hoses 150 of eachdevice may be linked together and attached to a water distribution meansor supply which may include a common garden hose 12. In use, the weedbarrier 100 is held in place by weights incorporated into the edges ofeach sheet 101. The device provides an effective barrier to weed growthas may occur on uncovered ground (see 14, FIG. 1), as well as aneffective method of watering garden plants.

The sheet material 101 is preferably formed from a UV-stabilized polymerfilm that has been perforated to allow moisture and air to pass through,or from a single or multiple layer of UV-resistant, woven or non-woventextiles. Examples of suitable sheet material include woven or non-wovenUV-resistant polypropylene landscape fabric, non-woven fabric formed offelted fibers of UV-resistant polyethylene, or spun bond UV resistantpolypropylene.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate top 110 and bottom 120 surfaces, respectively,of an embodiment of the present invention designed to accommodate avariety of garden plants. As illustrated, the weed barrier 100 is formedfrom a sheet 101 of landscape fabric 48 inches wide and 168 inches long.The edges of the sheet 101 are reinforced to prevent tearing of materialduring use and to provide a resilient structure to house weights andoptional fastening holes.

The weed barrier illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes rows of spacedplanting slots 130 for planting small row crop vegetables such asradishes, lettuce, carrots, beets, spinach, onions, etc. Nine widelyspaced planting holes 140 are also provided for planting largervegetables such as peppers, eggplant, broccoli, etc. Four rows of fiveplanting slots 130 each provide 20 feet of planting space for row crops.The planting slots 130 are optimally 12 inches long and 2 inches wide.In each row, 1 inch of material is left between the ends of eachadjacent planting slot 130 to structurally define the individual slotsand to prevent excessive spreading of the sides of the slot beyond theoptimal width of 2 inches. As shown, the planting holes 140 areapproximately 4 inches in diameter. FIG. 2 shows a top view of thedevice 100 as viewed when in place including a water inlet 152 forsupplying the porous hose 150 attached to the bottom surface 120 of thesheet material 101.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the weed barrier 100 shown in FIG. 2. Thisparticular embodiment includes a single water inlet 152, which maycomprise a common female garden hose fitting and a water restrictor (notshown), attached to a tubular T fitting 154 for directing water to twoflow paths. Two tubular L-shaped fittings 156 a and 156 b are attachedto the outlets of the T fitting 154, one on either side. As shown in thedrawing, a relatively long portion 150 a of porous hose 150 is attachedto the right L-shaped fitting 156 a and substantially transverses theperimeter of the weed barrier 100. A shorter length 150 b of the poroushose 150 is attached to the left L-shaped fitting 156 b and forms aninner loop 151 to supply water to the two inner rows of planting slots130. The end of each hose distal from the aforementioned fittings isclosed using a plug 157 a and 157 b, a hose fitting and cap, or othermeans such as heat-sealing, to prevent water from escaping out theotherwise open ends. The hose 150 may be secured to the bottom of theweed barrier 100 by using flaps 230 and 240 created during the formationof the planting spaces 130 and 140 (see FIGS. 5 and 7).

Preferably, any fittings, plugs or other devices connected to the hose150 are formed from a corrosion resistant material such as plastic orbrass. Fittings and plugs may include secondary elements such as clips,bands or other materials necessary to secure the hose 150 to the fittingwhen subjected to water pressure, particularly in the case where thehose 150 fits over the outside of the fitting. It is preferable to usebarbed “outside” fittings because such secondary elements are notrequired and, since the hose fits inside the fitting, there is little orno restriction in the flow of water through the fitting. This type offitting is often referred to as “full flow” since the flow path is notrestricted by a decrease in internal diameter from that provided by theattached tube or hose.

The porous hose 150 may be one similar to those known in the art assoaker hoses, but should be sufficiently flexible to allow ease offolding of the device 100 for storage. Preferable internal dimensionsfor the porous hose 150 are from ⅜ to ⅝ inches. Typically, such hosesare formed from ground, recycled rubber and/or virgin natural, syntheticor thermoplastic rubber mixed with polyethylene or other binderplastics. The walls of a suitable porous hose 150 weep or sweat waterthrough labyrinth passages formed during extrusion. Preferably, theselected hose 150 drips water from its outer surface rather thanpropelling water off the surface in small jets. Steady, low-pressureapplication of water, distributed to the plants 10 via capillary actionthrough the soil, can thereby maintain a constant moisture levelthroughout the area covered by the device 100.

Flow restrictors 160 (see FIGS. 22 to 29) may be used to reduce andregulate flow from the water supply through the porous hose 150. Aneffective flow restrictor 160 may consist of a flat plastic disk 162 ofan external diameter sized to fit inside a female hose fitting 152, asillustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. A hole 164 in the center of the disk 162is sized to the internal diameter necessary to restrict flow as requiredfor a particular application. An effective internal diameter of hole164, for use with a 50 foot length of ⅝ inch internal diameter poroushose 150, is approximately 0.075 inches, depending on soil texture andconsistency. After inserting the flow restrictor 160 into the femalehose fitting 152 (see FIG. 23) a common hose gasket 166 is installed inthe normal fashion thereby securing the restrictor 160 in place andproviding means for a water tight seal.

Another effective flow restriction device is illustrated in FIGS. 24 to27. The device illustrated is a conical flow restrictor 400. Thisconical flow restrictor 400 comprises a solid cone 402 having a flange404 projecting from the base 406 of the cone and an axial bore 410through the longitudinal center of the device 400. In use, the conicalflow restrictor 400 is placed inside a female hose fitting 152 with thenarrow end or tip 408 of the cone pointed in the direction from whichwater traveling through the hose will flow. After inserting the conicalflow restrictor 400 into the female hose fitting 152 a common hosegasket 166 is installed over and around the cone 402 so that it restsagainst the flange 404 thereby securing the restrictor 400 in place andproviding means for a water tight seal between the male and female hosefittings.

The bore 410 is sized to the internal diameter necessary to restrictflow as required for a particular application. Due to the elongatedchannel formed by the bore 410, and the concomitant increase in flowresistance or drag (hydrodynamic turbulence and friction) caused bywater flowing past the channel walls, the diameter of the bore 410 maybe increased from that of the hole 164 in the disk-shaped flowrestrictor illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. An additional advantage ofthis restrictor 400 is that the sloping surface of the cone 402 tends todeflect debris in the water flow away from the bore 410. This reducesthe likelihood, relative to the hole 164 in the flat plastic disk 162,of the bore 410 clogging.

FIGS. 28 and 29 illustrate a further embodiment 450 of a conical flowrestrictor including a solid cone 452 having a flange 454 projectingoutward, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device, from thewide end 456 of the cone, a barrel 470 projecting longitudinally fromthe wide end 456 of the cone 452, and a channel or aperture 460 passingthrough the longitudinal center of the device 400 from narrow tip 458 ofthe cone to the end 472 of the barrel 470.

As with the conical flow restrictor 400 of FIGS. 24 through 27, theelongated channel formed by the aperture 460, and the resulting increasein resistance to water passing through the restrictor 450, may allow thediameter of the aperture 460 to be increased.

The conical flow restrictor of FIGS. 28 and 29 also illustrates thatdimensions of the cone 452 and flange 454 may be varied to suit aparticular application. For example the base of the cone 452 has beennarrowed, and the width of the flange 454 thereby increased, toaccommodate a larger hose gasket 166 and to illustrate dimensions thatwould allow the restrictor 450 to be reversed in position relative tothe hose fittings 152.

In addition to the flow restrictors illustrated herein, other devicesmay be used to control the flow of water to the porous hose 150, such asball valves, pressure regulators, flow controllers, flow meters, orother devices known in the prior art.

It should be appreciated that a weed barrier 100 of any practicaldimensions may be constructed to satisfy the requirements of a givenapplication. The number of planting slots may be varied as required asmay the number of planting holes. Either planting slots or plantingholes may be used exclusively or in combination for a given application.The width between rows or individual planting spaces may be varied asrequired for the particular vegetation to be planted. Single rowplanting spaces may be centered or off-set on any width of weed barrier.Minimal experimentation may be required using flow restrictors 160 ofvarying internal diameters or flow levels to assure appropriate wettingof the soil along the length of the device 100.

FIGS. 4 through 9 illustrate the formation of the planting slots 130 andholes 140 and the associated formation of flaps 230 and 240 or tubesused to house and attach the porous hose 150 to the underside 120 of thesheet material 101. It should be appreciated that the openings whichform the planting slots 130 and holes 140 may be of various shapes butare preferably substantially rectangular for use with row crops orflower rows, and substantially circular for single plantings,particularly of large vegetables or bushes. The rectangular plantingslot 130 shown in FIG. 4 includes relatively short ends 132 a and 132 bapproximately 2 inches wide and relatively long sides 134 a and 134 bapproximately 12 inches long. A planting slot 130 is formed by cuttingthe ends 132 a and 132 b of each slot as well as the long side 134 afurthest from the porous hose. The cut side edge 234 a is then foldedback upon the underside 120 of the sheet 101 and sewn with UV-resistantthread or otherwise secured in place (see dashed line 236) to form atube 230 for holding the porous hose 150 next to the planting slot 130.Other methods of securing the tube 230, such as adhesive, heat bonding,or double-sided adhesive tape may be used. The required size of the tube230 may vary depending on the external diameter of the porous hose 150utilized. FIG. 5 provides a cross-sectional view along line 5 of FIG. 4showing side edges 134 a and 134 b of the planting slot 130, a flap 230formed by cutting side edge 134 a and ends 132 a and 132 b, and a poroushose 150 housed within a tube formed by sewing the flap 230 in place.The dashed line 236 indicates the planting space created when the flap230 is folded over. Typically, a porous hose 150 having an internaldiameter of ⅜ to ⅝ inch will be used. A hose 150 having an internaldiameter larger than ⅝ inch may require the planting slot 130 to bewider than 2 inches. This wider slot, however, would tend to permitincreased water evaporation and weed growth within the slot.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the formation of a planting hole 140. Acircular cut 144 a is made at a predetermined position proximate oradjacent to a section of porous hose 150. As the circular cut is made, aportion of the circle 144 b proximate the porous hose 150 is leftattached and uncut. The resulting flap 240 is folded over in a mannersimilar to that described earlier for planting slots 130 and sewn inplace to form a tube for holding the porous hose 150. Due to the largerdiameter of the planting holes 140 relative to the planting slots 130, aportion of the flap 240 is typically trimmed off and discarded. FIG. 7is a cross-sectional view along line 7 of FIG. 6 showing the flap 240formed by cutting a planting hole 140, trimmed and attached to theunderside 120 of the sheet material 101 to form a tube for holding theporous hose 150. The dashed line 246 in FIG. 7 indicates the spacecreated when the flap 240 is folded over. The arrow 247 in FIG. 7indicates where excess flap 240 material has been trimmed.

A device of the present invention may be configured so that additionalunits may be attached one to another to increase the garden spaceprovided. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the planting hole 142 located on theopposite side and at the bottom of the outer curve 153 of the poroushose 150 is adjacent a plastic tubular T fitting 250 connecting segmentsof the larger hose 150 a. The outlet of the T fitting 250 may remainplugged or otherwise closed until needed to supply water to an adjacentweed barrier 100. At that time, the plug may be removed from the outletof the T fitting 250 and a male fitting may be attached which willprovide a connection to the female fitting of an adjacent weed barrierso that water may be supplied.

FIGS. 8 and 9 demonstrate a method of creating a specialized flap 260for use in securing a T fitting 250 and attached sections of hose 150 cand 150 d to the underside 120 of the weed barrier 100. A partialcircular cut 262 is made in the sheet material 101 adjacent to where theT fitting 250 is to be secured. From the flap created, two smallerrectangular flaps 260 a and 260 b are cut, folded over and sewn inplace, one on either side of the outlet portion 252 of the T fitting250.

It should be appreciated that other methods may be utilized for holdinga porous hose 150 in place on the underside 120 of the weed barrier 100,including cable ties or plastic coated wire threaded through the sheetmaterial 101 and around the hose 150. The methods and materialsillustrated in FIGS. 2 through 9, however, provide an efficient methodof creating planting slots 130 and holes 140 concurrent with flaps 230and 240 or tubes for holding a porous hose 150 in place. No extramaterial is required to secure the porous hose 150 other than thatformed as a result of cutting the planting slots 130 and holes 140.

FIGS. 10 through 12 b illustrate the formation of edge pockets 170 forholding weights 180. Weights 180 are distributed along the edges of theweed barrier to provide a means of holding a barrier 100 in place inreplacement of wire staples or stakes used by devices in the prior art.Initially, a corner 172 a of the sheet material 101 is folded under (seearrow in FIG. 10) so that the inward edges 172 b and 172 c of thetriangular flap formed are each 4 inches wide (FIG. 10). The weight 180may then be bent, if pliable, to form a right angle and positioned asindicated in FIG. 12 a—near the outer edges of the sheet material 101.If the weight 180 is difficult to bend it may be notched to assistbending (see FIG. 11), or severed and the ends placed in close proximityto one anther. A 2-inch wide flap 174 is then folded inward around theperimeter of the sheet 101 (see FIG. 12 a) and stitched (see dashed line176) or otherwise held in place to form an open tube or pocket forholding the weight 180 (see FIG. 12 b). Although suitable attachmentmeans include use of adhesive or heat bonding, experimentation hasrevealed that sewing with UV-resistant thread is preferable as areplacement, or to augment, other attachment means. The width of theflap 174 may vary, depending on the size and shape of the weights 180.As an alternative to folding over corner 172 a, as shown in FIG. 10, thecorner material may simply be removed and flaps 174 folded as describedabove.

FIG. 20 a illustrates a corner portion of an alternative embodiment of aweed barrier 100 having reinforced edges and edge pockets 270 a and 270b of a type that may be used if weights 180 a and 180 b for adjacentedges 272 a and 272 b are not connected or formed from the same piece ofweight material. A weight 180 a is placed approximately 2 inches inwardfrom, and in alignment with, an outer edge of the sheet material 101. A2 inch wide flap 270 a is then folded over and sewn 176 or otherwisefixed in place. A second weight 180 b is placed approximately 2 inchesinward from, and in alignment with, the adjacent, perpendicular edge ofthe sheet material 101. A second 2 inch wide flap 270 b is folded overand also fixed in place. One of the weights 180 may be provided with ahole 274 that also penetrates the overlying sheet material 101.

Suitable weights 180 include materials such as metal, rubber, plasticand sand. Rigid material such as metal should be segmented to allow forfolding of the weed barrier for shipping and storage, and to allow thedevice to conform to the surface of the ground when in place. Theweights 180 are preferably fixed into pockets 170 in the sides of thedevice 100 during manufacturing but may be provided separately andinstalled by the end user by sliding into provided edge pockets 170.Tubular rubber or plastic work well for weighting as both are flexibleand will tend to conform to the surface of the soil.

FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 show cross-sections of different types of weights180 installed in different embodiments of edge pockets 170. As shown,the edge pockets 170 may be dimensioned as required to provide adequatespace for the selected weight material 180. FIG. 17 a shows analternative embodiment wherein a solid cylindrical weight 180 c isenclosed within a pocket 170 a formed from a separate strip of sheetmaterial. The pocket 170 a is then attached to a doubled edge 170 f ofthe sheet material 101. Means for attaching pocket 170 a to edge 170 finclude double stitching with UV-resistant thread. Placement of stitchesis indicated by dashed lines 188 a. FIG. 17 b shows a tubular weight 180d, such as a rubber or plastic tube, enclosed in edge pocket 170 b,formed by folding over the edge of the sheet material 101 to enclose theweight 180 d.

In FIG. 18 a the weight 180 e is a bar material such as rubber or metaland is disposed to the outer edge of the edge pocket 170 c. Preferablecross-sectional dimensions for rubber bar material range from ⅛ by 1inches to ¼ by 1 ½ inches. In FIG. 18 a the approximate dimensions ofthe weight 180 e are ¼ by 1 inches.

FIG. 18 b illustrates a weight 180 f, approximately ⅛ inches thick andapproximately 1 inch wide, enclosed in pocket 170 d and sewn in place bystitching through the weight 180 f itself. As illustrated, stitching isbe set back approximately ¼ inch along the longitudinal edge of theweight 180 f, opposite the outer edge of the weed barrier, as indicatedby dashed line 188 b.

In FIG. 19 the weight 180 g is disposed toward the center of the edgepocket 170 e. Means for securing the edge pockets illustrated in FIGS.17 a through 19 include use of adhesive, heat bonding, double-sidedadhesive tape, or sewing or stitching with UV-resistant thread. Singleor multiple lines of stitching may be used as necessitated or desired.

FIGS. 20 b and 20 c illustrate an improved method for attaching andstabilizing perpendicularly adjacent weights 181 a and 181 b. One of theweights 181 b is provided with a notch 277 that is shaped to fit andsubstantially surround a corresponding tab 278 on an adjacent weight 181a. Preferably, if a hole 274 is provided, it is located in the center ofthe tab 278. The tab 278 and notch 277 lock together to keep theadjacent weights 181 a and 181 b attached, while allowing motion aroundjoint. FIG. 20 c illustrates the weight arrangement of FIG. 20 b when inplace within the sheet material 101 of a barrier 100. Hidden featuressuch as the weights 181 a and 181 b are shown in large dashed lines.Small dashed lines indicate stitching 176.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 20 a through 20 c, holes 274 may be formed inthe reinforced edges of a weed barrier 100 to accept stakes (not shown)for use in particularly hostile wind conditions or to facilitatecoupling adjacent devices 200 a and 200 b (see FIG. 13). Grommets 275,preferably formed of corrosion-resistant material such as plastic orbrass, may be installed to strengthen the sheet material surrounding ahole 274. Because of the weighted edges 170 provided by the presentinvention, stakes are not normally required to hold a device of thepresent invention in place. In addition, merely overlapping the weightededges 170 of adjacent devices satisfactorily holds the devices in placeunder typical conditions. FIG. 21 illustrates how, for example,relatively small, single-row embodiments 300 a, 300 b and 300 c of thedevice may be easily joined by overlapping the weighted edges 370 a, 370b and 370 c, connecting porous hoses 350 a and 350 b in series andconnecting the devices to a common water supply 12.

FIG. 13 also illustrates an alternative method to that described above(see the discussion of T fitting 250) for joining the porous hoses 150of adjacent devices 200 a and 200 b. Where no planting slot 130 or hole140 is located adjacent to the section of porous hose 150 nearest theedge opposite the water inlet (see 153, FIG. 13), that section of hosemay be readily cut (see lines 202 a and 202 b indicating locations ofcuts) and the remaining ends fit with common garden hose fittings toconnect to an adjacent device 200 b. As an alternative to a connectionusing typical garden hose fittings, hoses of adjacent barriers may beattached by cutting off the existing fittings or plugs and connectingthe ends of the hoses by connectors as described previously.

The fitting 152 provided for delivery of water to the porous hose 150may be located underneath the weed barrier 100 (see FIG. 15), projectfrom underneath the weed barrier 100 (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 16), or,alternatively, an aperture 190 may be provided as illustrated in FIG.14, so that the fitting may rest upon the edge of the sheet material 101thereby providing easier access for coupling and some protection to thefitting 152 from soil and grit. FIG. 15 is a top view of a weed barrier100 utilizing the aperture and fitting 152 placement of FIG. 14. Theporous hose 150 and folded-over edges 170 of the sheet material 101,located on the underside of the device, are shown in dashed lines forreference. FIG. 15 also illustrates that the present invention may bepracticed using only planting holes 140, as opposed to both holes 140and slots 130 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and that a two rowconfiguration may be served by a single, looped section of porous hose150. The device 100 illustrated in FIG. 15 is particularly advantageousfor growing mid-sized vegetables such as broccoli, eggplant, andpeppers.

FIG. 16 illustrates a bottom view of a weed barrier 100 in accordancewith the present invention having two relatively short rows of plantingslots 130. In this embodiment, the rows are served by separate sectionsof porous hose 150 e and 150 f joined at the inward end via L-shaped, orangled, tubular fittings 156 a and 156 b connected to a tubular Tconnector 154. As well as illustrating the T configuration used with arelatively simple two-row device 100, FIG. 16 shows the folded cornersdescribed in detail above and the flaps 190 a and 190 b that may beformed for securing the T 154 and L 156 a and 156 b fittings in place.It may be appreciated that in order to form flaps 190 a and 190 b, extrasheet material must be either attached to the inward edge of the device100 or provided when the sheet 101 is initially cut to shape. As analternative to flaps 190 a and 190 b, small holes (approximate diameter⅛ inch) may be formed on either side of fitting 152 (or attached portionof hose 150 or T 154) and threaded with cable ties (not shown) orplastic-coated wire (not shown) to secure fitting 152 to the adjacentsheet material 101. If used, plastic cable ties are preferably formed ofUV-resistant material.

Although the device 100 in FIG. 16 does not utilize the hose placementof FIG. 14, an aperture could be formed between the end flaps toaccommodate placement of the hose fitting 152 on the top surface 110 ofthe sheet material 101 (see FIG. 14). The embodiment illustrated in FIG.16 is particularly advantageous for growing small vegetables planted inrows such as radishes, lettuce, carrots, beets, and onions.

FIGS. 15 and 16 also demonstrate that the present invention may bepracticed by devices substantially shorter than that disclosed in FIGS.2 and 3, that the device may incorporate either planting slots 130 orplanting holes 140 exclusively, and that, as shown in FIG. 15, theplanting spaces 130 and 140 may be located to the outside as well as theinside of the porous hose 150. It is preferable, however, that theplanting spaces 130 and 140 be located inward of the hose 150. Sincewind is typically directional, any wind that enters a planting space canevacuate through spaces in the adjoining row without being trapped.

FIG. 30 illustrates one embodiment of a circular weed barrier 500a inaccordance with the present invention. It includes a circular sheet 502of vapor-permeable material. The outer margin of the sheet 500 a isfolded over and secured with stitches 510 or other means to form areinforced edge and pocket for holding weighted material. A porous hose506 is secured to the lower surface of the device 500 a at a suitabledistance from the outer margin. Planting spaces, such as slots, or theholes 504 illustrated, are formed in the sheet 502 in proximity to thehose 506. The hose 506 may be formed into interconnected concentriccircles, as illustrated in FIG. 30, or may comprise a single length ofhose looped in a circular fashion as in the embodiment 500 b illustratedin FIG. 31. The water inlet 508 may project from underneath the sheet502 as shown or be otherwise located as described above.

It should be appreciated that multiple units of the kinds shown in theFigures may be linked together to provide the garden configurationdesired by the end user. To provide both relatively narrow rows andrelatively wide rows in the same garden, devices of various widths maybe connected. To determine the width of individual devices used in suchan arrangement necessary to obtain the desired row width, the followingsteps may be followed using a single row device, as shown in FIG. 21.First, determine the desired distance between two adjoining rows andselect a device having a width less than the desired row width. Next,subtract the distance from the center of the row of the selected deviceto its edge. Add the width of the reinforced edge (typically 2 inches).Multiply the result by a factor of 2. The amount calculated representsthe required width of an adjoining unit to achieve the desired rowwidth.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention havebeen illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofaras such limitations are included in the following claims and allowableequivalents thereof.

1. A garden weed barrier and watering apparatus comprising: flexiblesheet of vapor-permeable material, said sheet having reinforced outeredges and openings in said sheet for garden plant stems to extendtherethrough; means for weighting said edges to secure said sheet to theground; and fluid-permeable tube secured to a lower surface of saidsheet for delivering fluid to ground proximate to garden plants.
 2. Thegarden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sheetcomprises a non-woven polymer film.
 3. The garden weed barrier andwatering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sheet comprises a perforatedsheet or a woven or non-woven textile material.
 4. The garden weedbarrier and watering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sheet comprisesfelted fibers of thermoplastic material.
 5. The garden weed barrier andwatering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said edges are reinforced bydouble layers of said sheet secured by means selected from the groupconsisting of adhesive, tape, stitching, and heat bonding.
 6. The gardenweed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said edges haveholes therein for accepting stakes or staples to provide additionalretention of said apparatus against the surface of the ground.
 7. Thegarden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidopenings are substantially rectangular.
 8. The garden weed barrier andwatering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said openings are arranged in oneor more substantially parallel rows.
 9. The garden weed barrier andwatering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said openings are substantiallycircular.
 10. The garden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 1wherein said means for weighting is selected from the group consistingof metal bars, metal tubes, rubber bars, rubber tubes, plastic bars,plastic tubes, metal cable, rope and sand.
 11. The garden weed barrierand watering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sheet is substantiallyopaque.
 12. The garden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 1wherein said openings are arranged in one or more concentric rings. 13.The garden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidtube further comprises means for restricting flow of fluid therethrough.14. The garden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 13 whereinsaid means for restricting comprises a flat plastic disk positionedwithin said tube and of sufficient external diameter to occlude flow offluid through said tube, said disk further comprising an aperture in thecenter of said disk.
 15. The garden weed barrier and watering apparatusof claim 13 wherein said means for restricting comprises a conical flowrestrictor comprising a cone having a flange projecting from the base ofsaid cone and an axial bore through the longitudinal center of saidconical flow restrictor.
 16. A garden weed barrier and wateringapparatus comprising: landscape fabric having edge portions weighted toretain said fabric in a selected position upon the ground, openingswithin said fabric for receiving garden plants, and a water-permeabletube attached to the underside of said fabric.
 17. The garden weedbarrier and watering apparatus of claim 16 wherein said tube hassegments thereof attached in close proximity to corresponding openings.18. The garden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 16 whereinsaid edge portions comprise weights secured within edge pockets.
 19. Thegarden weed barrier and watering apparatus of claim 17 wherein saidopenings are partially defined by respective portions of said tube. 20.A method of gardening whereby weeds are suppressed through obstructionof sunlight, and fluids are delivered to garden plants via a conduit,the method comprising the steps of: providing an opaque vapor-permeablesheet having weighted outer edges and having openings for garden plantsto extend therethrough, attaching a fluid-permeable conduit to theunderside of the sheet, applying the sheet to an area of ground, anddirecting water to the conduit for flow therethrough at intervalsselected for encouraging plant growth.